PlayStation Vita

Previews

WWE 13 - Preview

Attitude Era

WWE 13 takes players back to the most successful period in WWE history, a time of pure raucousness and grandiose personalities known as the 'Attitude Era'. The period encompasses the latter half of the '90s and the early 2000s, when WWE was known as the World Wrestling Federation and PG-rated content was shunned in favour of an edgier, teenage-focused form of entertainment.

Confirmed names for what will be the largest roster in the history of the WWE series read like a who's-who of today's superstars and yesteryear's legends, from CM Punk to Stone Cold Steve Austin, Sheamus, the Undertaker, Mankind, Chris Jericho, Big Show, Mark Henry, and the self-styled 'baddest man on the planet' Iron Mike Tyson.

Monday Night Wars

Following last year's slightly underwhelming career mode execution, 'Road to Wrestlemania' has been replaced with a series first: a campaign which focuses on eight purveyors of attitude during the famed television 'Monday Night Wars'. It'll cover a series of events in a chronological timeline as multiple wrestlers' adventures dovetail, and will be complemented by more than 20 bespoke videos that use archive TV footage to build up the feuds and storylines players will relive.

But WWE 13 isn't all about the Attitude Era. The game's also expected to feature current wrestlers in the returning career-style Universe mode, in which individual player decisions dynamically introduce new matches, alliances, rivalries and unpredictable moments on a journey towards becoming a WWE Champion. Developer THQ has promised to support what's going on in today's world of WWE programming with content, so keep an eye out for more details in the near future.

Spectacular Moments

THQ also plans to take the action to new heights with 'Spectacular Moments' based on weird and wonderful Attitude Era matches, moves and events. Remember Stone Cold driving a truck to the ring? D-Generation X invading World Championship Wrestling headquarters? Tables, Ladders and Chairs matches? Inferno matches where the ring was surrounded by flames and the only way to win was to set your opponent on fire? The game promises to be edgy, exciting and daring.

If things go to plan, everything should look and feel better in motion too. The action is driven by new character animations, presentation effects and modified controls that aim to make proceedings more fluid, and better translate the ferocity of superplexes, table smashes, ring breaks and barricade crashes. Throw in improved commentary, sound effects and crowd participation levels, and WWE 13 could well be a contender for King of the Ring.